Clamping device for clamping a pile body to a vibratory device



1963 L. MULLER 3,101,956

CLAMPING DEVICE FOR CLAMPING A PILE BODY TO A VIBRATORY DEVICE FiledJan. 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HTTORNEVS L. MULLER CLAMPING DEVICE FORCLAMPING A PILE BODY TO A VIBRATORY DEVICE Filed Jan. 19, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 2 A up la fir/'2 4 ER 3, HMMW Hrromvsrs United StatesPatent CLAMPING DEVICE FOR CLAMPIN G A FILE BODY TO A VIBRATQRY DEVICELudwig Miiller, Heinrich-Heine-Sh'. 41 Mar-burg (Lahn), Germany FiledJan. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 83,735

Claims priority, application Germany Jan. 26, 1960 7 Claims. (Cl. 279-4)The present invention relates to a clamping device for clamping avibratory device to a pile body such as a sheet pile, etc. to be drivenor extracted, and more particularly to a clamping device which clampsthe pile body to be driven or extracted by means of clamping jawsmovable into and out of a clamping position.

Clamping devices of the general kind above referred to afford a safeclamping action even for high static and dynamic loads due to adisplacement of the clamping jaws transverse of the working directionduring driving or extracting of a pile body, provided the device iscarefully and correctly fitted upon the pile body to be driven orextracted. Such fitting is time-consuming and often diflicult, the moreso as pile bodies such as pile sheets are often somewhat bent ortwisted, especially at the part to i be gripped by the clamping device.Obviously, the fitting of the clamping devices could be facilitated byproviding a wide receiving opening at the clamping jaws of the device.However, clamping devices of the general kind above referred to, asheretofore knowminherently preclude the provision of a wide receivingopening due to the required ratio of transmission, generally about10021, between the clamping jaws and the pressure means acting upon thesame. As a result of such required high ratio of transmission, aninsertion opening as wide as desirable would require a size of thepressure means and the guide means therefor so large that it is notpractical. I

It is a broad object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved clamping device of the'general kind above referred to, whichpermits the provision of a wide receiving opening without requiring anenlargement of the "components required for actuating the clamping aws.j

l A'more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved clamping device which does not require the aforementioned hightransmission ratio thereby obviating the need for providing undulyenlarged pressure means and corresponding enlarged guide means therefor.

Another more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved clamping device which can be clamped to the pile body to bedriven or extracted even if the usual clamping position of the device isnot convenient or feasible due to the configuration of the pile body ordue to the specific local conditions.

' Other and further objects, features and advantages of the inventionwill be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claimsconstituting part of the application. In the accompanying drawingsseveral preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by way ofillustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing: FIG. 1 is an elevational sectional view of a clampingdevice according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a similar sectional view of a modification of the clampingdevice, and

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line III-4H of FIG. 2.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the clamping device according to this figurecomprises a support frame 1 in which is formed a receiving opening inthe form of a slot 14, the lower part of'which is widened to facilitatethe insertion of a pile body such as a sheet pile 11 to be driven intothe ground or extracted therefrom. Pile 11 is clamped between a pair ofclamping jaws, one of which is stationary and formed by a wall portion1a of frame 1 defining one 7 side of the upper narrow end of slot 14. Tofacilitate gripping of pile 11 a gripping member 7b is fixedly securedin the aforesaid frame wall. The surface of member 71) facing the slotis suitably roughened, for instance milled, as shown in the figure. Thefixed clamping jaw 1a coacts with a movable clamping jaw 4 which issl-i-dable toward and away. from the fixed clamping jaw transverse ofthe longitudinal axis of slot 14. Jaw 4 is slidable in either directionas indicated by the arrows A-B and is guided in the frame by guideplates 5 and 6 which are preferably removably mounted so that they canbe conveniently replaced in the event of excessive wear. A grippingmember 7a similar to gripping member 7b is fixedly fitted in movable jaw4. v

As is apparent, displacement of jaw 4 toward the fixed clamping jaw,that is in the direction of arrow A requires very little force, a highforce being only needed for the actual tightening of pile 11 between theclamping aws.

The displacement of jaw 4 in either direction is effected by apressuremeans generally designated 2, secured to frame 1 by suitablefastening means such as bolts 9. The pressure means comprises a clyinderin which is slidable a piston 2a mounted on a piston rod 2b secured toclamping jaw 4 by a screw connection 4a. Pressure fluid such as oil orair under pressure can be selectively fed to one side or the other ofpiston 2a by means of conduits Ilia and 1012. As is apparent, admissionof pressure fluid through conduit 10a and discharge of fluid throughconduit 1% will cause movement of jaw 4- in the direction of arrow A andthe reversal of the feed and discharge of the pressure fluid will movethe jaw into the direction of arrow B. The control of the flow ofpressure fluid through conduits 10a and 1% can be effected by any of thecontrol valve arrangements well known for the purpose.

As is apparent, the ratio of transmission in a clamping device accordingto the invention, as exemplified in FIG 1, is or may be a ratio of 1:1.Accordingly, there is ample space in the device to provide an insertionopening or slot of the desired width. 7

To effect driving or extraction of pile 11 the clamping deviceand withit pile 11 must be coupled by vibration transmitting coupling means witha vibrator which supplies the actual working force. The vibrator isindicated at 13 and should be visualized as being of conventional designso that a detailed description and illustration of a cylinder 3 isdisdplaceable between a position tightly abutting against the lower sideof member 8 and a loose position. Cylinder 3 houses a piston 3a which inturn engages guide plate 5. Pressure fluid can be supplied to cylinder 3and discharged therefrom by conduits 12a and 12b which connect thecylinder of the pressure means 2 with the coupling means.

As is apparent, the admission of pressure fluid into cylinder 3 throughconduit 12a and the discharge of the pressure fluid through conduit 12!)will move cylinder 3 into the direction of arrow C and the piston 3ainto the direction of arrow D. As a result, jaw 4 is pressed downwardly,that is against guide plate 6 and coupling member 6 is pressed againstvibrator 413 and frame 1. As a result, the entire clamping device isunder tension and vibrations can be transmitted from vibrator 13 to pile11.

In order to release pile 1-1 from the clamping device the feed ofpressure fluid to the cylinders through the conduits is reversed.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a clamping device which is similar in principle tothat of FIG. 1, except that the pressure means and the coupling meansare combined to a certain extent and exert pressure in the samedirection. According to FIGS. 2 and 3, a support frame 21 is formed witha receiving opening or slot 24 of the desired dimensions. A grippingmember 26b is fixedly secured in the wall portion 21a of the frameconstituting the fixed clamping jaw of the device. The movable clampingjaw comprises two wedge-shaped members 25 and 26. A gripping member 26asimilar to gripping member 26b is fixedly secured to jaw member 26. Jawmember 26 is slidably guided along wall portions 21b of frame 21 fordisplacement transversely of the longitudinal plane of slot 24, that istransversely of the direction in which pile 11 is either to be driven orextracted. The jaw member is slidably keyed to the second jaw member 25by means of a key portion 25b engaging a correspondingly shaped key wayin jaw member 26. Jaw member 25 is slidable along wall portion 27 offrame 21 in a direction parallel to the slot, that is in the workingdirection. As is evident, a displacement of jaw member 25 in thedirection of arrow D will move jaw member 26 toward its clampingposition and a movement of jaw member 25 in the direction of arrow Cwill release the jaw member 26. Jaw member 25 is coupled to the pistonrod of a piston 23a by means of a screw connection 25a. Piston 23a isslidable in a cylinder 23 which in turn is slidable in a cylindricalbore 21c formed in frame 21. Pressure fluid such as oil or air underpressure can be supplied to or discharged from cylinder 23 at eitherside of piston 23a by means of conduits 22 and 22a.

The operation of the device according to FIGS. 2 and 3 is evident fromthe previous description. It suflices to state that the admission ofpressure fluid through conduit 22:: and discharge of pressure fluidthrough conduit 22 will press cylinder 23 upwardly, that is againstcoupling member 8 which in turn will be pressed against vibrator 13 andframe 21. As is shown, coupling member 8 is pressed against frame 21along the shoulders 8a. Piston 23a will force downwardly jaw member 25which in turn will press jaw member 26 against a pile inserted in slot24-. The entire clamping device is now tensioned so that force can betransmitted from vibrator 13 to pile 11.

Release of the clamping device is effected by reversing the fluid flowthrough conduits 2.2 and 22a.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to certainnow preferred examples and embodiments of the invention it will beunderstood by those skilled in the art after understanding theinvention, that various changes and modifications may be made withoutdepartment from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it isintended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in theappended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A clamping device for clamping a vibratory device to a pile body tobe driven and extracted respectively, said clamping device comprising asupport frame, a pair of clamping jaws supported on the frame, one ofsaid jaws being fixedly secured and the other being movable toward andaway from said fixed clamping jaw, pressure means coacting with saidmovable jaw for clamping a pile body between said two jaws and releasingit therefrom, and coupling means supported on said frame, said couplingmeans including two members movable in opposite directions in a planetransverse of the direction of movement of said movable jaw, one of saidmembers being movable into pressure engagement with the movable jaw forlocking the same in clamping position and the other being arranged tocoact with a vibratory device for coupling the clamping device to thevibratory device in vibration transmitting engagement.

2. A clamping device for clamping a vibratory device to a pile body tobe driven and extracted respectively, said clamping device comprising asupport frame formed with a receiving slot for the insertion of a pilebody, a pair of clamping jaws supported on said frame, one of said jawsbeing fixedly secured and defining a side wall portion of said slot andthe other being movable into and out of a clamping position in referenceto said fixed jaw, pressure means for moving said movable jaw into saidclamping position to clamp a pile body inserted in said slot betweensaid two jaws, and coupling means supported on said frame, said couplingmeans including two members movable in opposite directions in a planeparallel to the length of said slot, one of said members being movableinto pressure engagement with said movable jaw for locking the same inclamping position and the other being arranged to engage a vibratorydevice for coupling the clamping device to the vibratory device invibration transmitting engagement.

3. A clamping device according to claim 2 wherein one of the members ofsaid coupling means is a cylinder mounted in the frame transverse to thedirection of movement of said movable jaw and the other a pistonslidable in said cylinder, and wherein said coupling means furthercomprise conduit means communicating with said cylinder on both sides ofthe piston therein for selectively feeding pressure fluid to one of thesides of the piston to displace the latter in a selected direction andthe cylinder in the opposite direction.

4. A clamping device according to claim 2 wherein said movable jaw ismovable transversely of the length of said slot and has a clampingsurface parallel to the surface of the fixed jaw forming said side wallportion.

5. A clamping device for clamping a vibratory device to a pile body tobe driven and extracted respectively, said clamping device comprising asupport frame formed with a receiving slot for the insertion of a pilebody, a pair of clamping jaws supported on said frame, one jaw beingfixedly secured and defining a side wall portion of said slot and theother being movable into and out of a clamping position in reference tosaid fixed jaw, said movable jaw having two wedge-shaped members inabutment with each other, one of said members being movable transverseof the length of said slot to move said jaw member toward and away fromsaid fixed jaw and the other jaw member being movable at an angle inreference to the direction of movement of said one jaw member, movementof said other jaw member displacing said one jaw member, and couplingand pressure means coacting with said pther jaw member for pressing thesame and said one aw member into positions in which a pile body insertedin said slots is clamped between the two jaws and for coupling said jawsand frame to a vibratory device in vibration transmitting engagement.

6. A clamping device according to claim 5 wherein said pressure andcoupling means comprise two mem- 7 5 6 bers movable in oppositedirections in a plane transverse otlrerialong surfaces slanted inrespect to the direction of the direction of movement of said one jawmember of f m vem nt of id one jaw e ber, and he i id Said movabls? jone of Said members of Said couplingabutting slanted surfaces areslidably keyed to each other. and press ure means being movable intopressure en gage- I ment with said other jaw member to lock the same inposi- 5 References Cit d i th fil f hi patent tion and the other memberof said coupling and pressure means being arranged to engage a vibratorydevice for UNITED STATES PATENTS coupling the clamping device to saidvibratory device 9 a July 14, 1942 in vibration transmitting engagement.2,702,929 Laddon Mar. 1, 1955 7. A clamping device according to claim 5wherein 1 2,768,830 Janson Oct. 30, 1956 said two members of the movablejaw abut against each 2,944,522 Doyle July 12, 1960

1. A CLAMPING DEVICE FOR CLAMPING A VIBRATORY DEVICE TO A PILE BODY TOBE DRIVEN AND EXTRACTED RESPECTIVELY, SAID CLAMPING DEVICE COMPRISING ASUPPORT FRAME, A PAIR OF CLAMPING JAWS SUPPORTED ON THE FRAME, ONE OFSAID JAWS BEING FIXEDLY SECURED AND THE OTHER BEING MOVABLE TOWARD ANDAWAY FROM SAID FIXED CLAMPING JAW, PRESSURE MEANS COACTING WITH SAIDMOVABLE JAW FOR CLAMPING A PILE BODY BETWEEN SAID TWO JAWS AND RELEASINGIT THEREFROM, AND COUPLING MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME, SAID COU-